Papanasham Beach

Synonymous with Varkala, this is the town's most popular beach. With waves lapping its sun-kissed white sands at one end and breaking against the imposing red cliffs on the other, Papanasham is quite a sight to behold. While swimming is allowed, visitors need to watch out (as with all the other beaches at Varkala) for strong underwater currents.
Besides lounging about on the sands at Papanasham, visitors can try their hand at parasailing, scuba diving and paragliding, while anglers can go deep-sea fishing. The beach is lined with a surfeit of restaurants serving up fresh-from-the-ocean seafood and small shops hawking souvenirs. The panoramic bird’s eye view from the top of the cliff (easily accessed via a winding path) is highly recommended. The beach also attracts a steady stream of the faithful: Hindus believe a dip in the water here can absolve sins, and the immersion of cremation ashes leads to salvation for the deceased.